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Hertz Enters the Car-Sharing Business
Jan 28 2009 by Emily Hansen
Zipcar has found lots of success with the car-sharing business. It’s done so well, in fact, that car-rental agency Hertz has entered the car-sharing business, too. In late 2008, Connect by Hertz was launched, serving New York City, Park Ridge, N.J., London and Paris.
Hertz’s name recognition and ample rental network could position it for rapid expansion. Connect by Hertz offers some sweet-looking cars, like the Toyota Prius and Camry and the Mini Cooper. Zipcar has also expanded the lineup of cars it offers, including the BMW 325 and 328, Toyota Tacoma and Honda Element. Zipcar has given pet names to each of the models, which makes its website oh-so-much-more fun.
“Car-sharing” is a misnomer because you really aren’t sharing ownership of a car, just the usage of it. It’s more like an instant, short-term rental. Cars are parked around a neighborhood, and you sign up on a website to use one when you need it. There are different usage plans and fees attached, but essentially you just go to the location of the car you’ve reserved, drive off and return it when you’re finished.
Car-sharing isn’t a very realistic choice for suburban-dwellers like me, but it’s a great option for urban families, who now have environmentally friendly options beyond traditional public transportation. I’m rooting all of you on until the day my neighbors and I band together to demand car-sharing in the ’burbs.
User Comments
The article explicitly states that Hertz will offer its program in Park Ridge, NJ, which is a wealthy suburb in the New York metro area. Whether they will have significant demand depends on the target demographic in suburbia, which will almost certainly be different than in urban markets.
It is really great that they’re offering Prius and other toyota cars. Since the bankruptcy of the major auto corporations in the US, the features of toyota cars like the durable toyota replacement parts were highlighted making it one of the renowned car-makers even in the US.
Hopefully Hertz plans to expand to another big city in the states - Chicago - soon! Luckily we have an option besides zip car here already. I-GO is a not-for-profit, local to Chicago, car sharing business. Green, local, and not-for profit? Talk about good karma points